Well, the Ed Cooley
era didn’t exactly get off to a sparkling start, with the Stags sputtering to a
3-15 record in their first eighteen games. But it’s the 10-4 finish to the
season, along with all the key players returning, that has Fairfield thinking
that a move up in the MAAC standings is within reach in 2007-08. Four starters
return, led by the sophomore forward tandem of Greg Nero and Anthony Johnson.
Nero (9.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg), who eventually made the MAAC All-Rookie Team, got off
to a torrid start before seeing his scoring numbers drop some. But after a tour
of the conference and college basketball in general, don’t expect that to happen
this season. Johnson (8.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg) started all thirty-two games last
season, and forms one of the better forward tandems in the Northeast with Nero.

Also returning to
the frontcourt are fifth-year senior Marty O’Sullivan (5.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and
seniors Mamadou Diakhate and Geoff Middleton. O’Sullivan, who led the team in
rebounding last season, and Diakhate are good glue guys who are willing to do
the little things necessary for a team to be successful. Middleton, who only
played in fifteen games last season, possesses the size needed to bang in the
paint at 6-9, 230. Despite playing in only fifteen games, Middleton was second
on the team in blocks. Three newcomers will also be called upon to contribute
at forward, although one of the three did spend last season with the program.
Junior Mike Evanovich (Storrs, CT), a transfer from Iowa State, is a 6-7 forward
who can knock down perimeter shots. Freshmen Yorel Hawkins (Apex, NC) and Warren
Edney (Vienna, VA) are seemingly cut from the same cloth, with the ability to
provide instant scoring off the bench. Edney, however, is left-handed.

The backcourt also
has some quality contributors returning this season, starting with the point
guard Jonathan Han. Han (7.7 ppg, 4.5 apg) proved himself to be a more than
capable distributor of the basketball last season, but he needs to improve upon
his percentages from the field (36% FG, 26.8% 3PT). Classmate Herbie Allen (5.8
ppg, 1.5 apg) was a solid contributor last season, but he also could stand to
improve his shooting (28.9% FG, 26.8% 3PT) this season. Sophomore Devin Johnson
(2.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg) may have ended up with low averages, but he did start
nineteen games last year. His size helps out, especially when you realize that
Han is 6-0 and Allen 5-11. Other possible contributors in the backcourt include
sophomore Jimmy O’Sullivan and freshmen Lyndon Johnson and Sean Grzeck. Johnson
averaged seven assists per game as a high school senior, and at 6-7 Grzeck can
shoot the ball from the perimeter. How well the Stags do this season will depend
on the group as a whole making up for the graduation of Michael Van Schaick.

In regards to the
schedule, it’s already kicked off with a loss at Wake Forest in the first game
after the death of former Wake head coach Skip Prosser. A tough way to open up
the season on the road, and things don’t get any easier with upcoming
non-conference games against Sacred Heart (November 18th), Cincinnati
(November 24th), Georgetown (December 1st) and St.
Joseph’s (December 21st). Conference play opens with a visit from
preseason favorite Siena on December 7th, and later dates of
importance include a three-game stretch to open 2008: @ Loyola (January 4th),
@ Siena (January 8th) and Loyola at home (January 11th),
and another three-game road swing to open February (Canisius, Niagara,
Manhattan).

2007-08
Prospects

Despite
the loss of Van Schaick, Coach Cooley and his staff have a larger array of
options to turn to this season. Making up for the scoring lost with Van
Schaick’s graduation will be a group responsibility, and it has to be
encouraging to see Evanovich put up twenty in the season opener. Fairfield had
the best scoring defense in the MAAC last season, allowing 64.7 points per game,
and I don’t see why that can’t be the case again this year. Whether or not they
make a move up in the standings will ultimately depend on the improvement in
perimeter shooting, which will take some pressure away from Nero and Johnson. I
see Fairfield finishing in the middle of the MAAC pack once again this season.

SPONSORS

About Shawn Siegel

ColumnistShawn Siegel - Head Editor

Contactshawn@collegehoops.net

Background

Shawn Siegel created CollegeHoops.net (formerly collegehoopsnet.com) back in the summer of 2002, and it has since grown into the web's largest independent college basketball site, visited by over 1,000,000 visitors per year. Shawn is responsible for the CHN Top 50,Bracketology projections (he is ranked the #1 Bracketologist over the last 4 years), as well the NBA Mock Draft.

Shawn's college basketball and NBA Draft commentary has been quoted in dozens of national newspapers, and he's been a featured guest on numerous radio programs.

After graduating from Washington University and Washington University Law School before, Shawn passed the New Jersey Bar exam but no longer practices Law. For more on his background, visit hisLinkedIn profile.

Please email him at shawn@collegehoops.net with all media requests, advertising inquiries, and partnership opportunities.